Twenty-four Senate Republicans signed on to the Stand With Israel Act, which would cut U.S. funding for any United Nations agencies that “expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.”
“Israel is one of America’s greatest allies, and under President Trump’s administration, we will no longer tolerate—much less fund—the blatant antisemitism at the United Nations,” stated Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“This bill will send a clear message to the United Nations and any other antisemitic international organizations,” he stated. “If you want America’s money, you’ll need to respect our Israeli friends.”
The bill is structured based on long-standing legislation, which prohibits U.S. funding to any U.N. entity that elevates the Palestinian Authority to member-state status.
The U.N. General Assembly came close to doing that last year, granting the Palestinian Authority unprecedented rights for what it considers a “non-member observer state,” including to speak on any matter before the assembly and offering amendments to resolutions.
Washington vetoed a resolution to that effect in the U.N. Security Council.
“For too long, the United Nations has allowed antisemitism to fester in its ranks while taking billions from American taxpayers,” stated Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a signatory to the new bill. “The Stand with Israel Act sends a clear message that America stands with Israel—and will hold the United Nations accountable.”
Leaked drafts of the Trump administration’s budgeting for the United Nations appear to portend massive cuts to the global body, beyond those that the administration has put in place since January. (The U.S. State Department hasn’t confirmed the reported drafts.)
Beyond Risch and Cotton, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Jim Justice (R-W. Va.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) are among the bill sponsors.
“For too long, many U.N. agencies have hurled false accusations at and deliberately targeted Israel, serving as useful idiots for Iran and its terrorist proxies,” McCormick stated. “I’m proud to join Chairman Risch and our colleagues in unequivocally standing up for our great ally, Israel, and pushing back on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias at the United Nations.”
